for the evidence of the Quran and Sunnah establishes that the best of this community are those who fought at Badr, followed by those who gave the Pledge of Divine Pleasure; that the Ten are superior to the others; and that the four caliphs are the best of the community.

It is established in the authentic hadith collections that he said:

“I looked into Paradise and saw that most of its inhabitants were poor, and I looked into the Fire and saw that most of its inhabitants were women.”

It is also established in the authentic collections that he said:

“Paradise and the Fire disputed. Paradise said, ‘Why is it that only the weak and lowly among people enter me?’ The Fire said, ‘Why is it that only the domineering and arrogant enter me?’”

He also said:

“I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that most of those entering it were poor, while the wealthy were held back—except those destined for the Fire, who had already been ordered into it.”

Alongside this is his statement, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the authentic hadith:

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in both.”

These hadiths convey two meanings. The first is that Paradise is the abode of the humble and reverent, not of the arrogant and domineering, whether rich or poor. For it is established in an authentic hadith:

“No one with an atom’s weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise, and no one with an atom’s weight of faith in his heart will enter the Fire.

“He was asked, ‘Messenger of Allah, a man likes his clothes and shoes to look fine. Is that arrogance?’ He replied, ‘No. Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Rather, arrogance is rejecting the truth and looking down on people.’”

Thus he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained that Allah loves dressing well